New NPS Challenge Aims to Rewrite How the Military Builds Missiles | WEST 2026

GovCIO Media & Research Podcasts · Feb 12, 2026 · 1m

War Department components are pivoting away from "exquisite" hardware in favor of agile, low-cost manufacturing methodologies. Part of this shift includes prize challenges like the Naval Postgraduate School's Tactical Missile Innovation Challenge, a non-traditional challenge that emphasizes methodology. Speaking at AFCEA/USNI WEST in San Diego, California, NPS Director of Research Innovation at the Naval Postgraduate School Kaitie Penry said that the Tactical Missile Innovation Challenge, unlike traditional military contracts that demand a hardware prototype, asks participants for a design…